Geobge van wagenen



(No 'ModeL) G. VAN WAGENEN. PACKING POE STUFFIN G BOXES, 620,.

No. 249,560. Patented Nov. 15,1881.

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JAM L "f g UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

GEORGE VAN WAGENEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO POLLOCK &

i VAN WAGENEN, OF SAME PLACE. i

PAC ING FOR STUFFI-ING-BOXES, 84c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,560, dated November 15, 1881.

Application filed April 22 i851. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, GEORGE VAN WAGENEN,

of proper length to form rings, or it might be used in form of coil, and, being inserted in either of these forms into a stuffing-box or packing-space, is, by the pressure of the gland or follower, expanded transversely and caused to exert a pressure upon the rod or other part sufficient to pack the same tightly and prevent the leakage of steam or other fluid.

The manner of making and applying my improved packing is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a stuffing-box and a rod working through the same, and Fig. 2 represents a side view and partial section of a straight piece of the packmg.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in both the figures.

A designates a stuffing-box, which may project from any part of an engine or other machine, and B designates the gland thereof.

0 designates a rod working through the stuffing-box, and which may be supposed to be the piston-rod of an engine.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2, which represents a straight piece of packing, a designates a spiral, which may be composed of steel, brass, or other elastic metal, and of any desirable length. Upon the spiral a, which forms a hollow core, is applied a covering, 12. This covering may be composed of one or more layers or thicknesses of material braided upon the spiral; or it may be composed of astrip or strips of canvas or similar material wrapped upon the spiral core a, as seen clearly in Fig. 2; or it may be composed of strips of anyantifriction metal wrapped around the said core a. The covering b may be or not saturatedor coated with lubricating substances. If said packing be cut in rings, thejointsbetween the ends of the pieces which form the several rings should be brokenthat is, they should be so placed that the solid parts of alternate rings will come opposite or away from the joints in the intermediate rings. If the packing were of a size to just fill the stuffing-box, the gland B would only have to be screwed down very lightly at first, and gradually, as the gland is screwed down and the covering I), which bears against the rod, becomes worn off, the transverse section of the packing-ring is changed from a circular form to elliptical in a direction transverse to the .rod. If the packing were made too large to slip easily into the stuffingbox, itwould have to be compressedin entering, so as to give it anelliptical transverse section, the longest dimension being in a direction parallel with the rod. The packing then, by its own elasticity, will tend to assume a circular transverse section, and hence the gland need only serve to retain the, packing in the stuffing-box. As the covering b is worn away the gland must be screwed down to compress the rings in the direction of the length of the rod, and thereby expand them in a direction transverse thereto.

The elasticity of this packing is such that it will readily adapt itself to irregularities in the stufiing-box or in the size of a worn rod, and it is quite free from the evils of other elastic packings, which soften at a moderate heat, and thereby lose their elasticity. A

Heretofore a piston-packing has been composed ofa spiral spring arranged to act laterally on a packing-rin g to press the latter against the interior of acylinder. A packing has also been composed of an annular wire covered with rubber and adapted to roll up and down .between a plunger and cylinder as the plunger is reciprocated, and a packing has 7 .sprin g has been used it has been arranged in a piston to act on ametal ring, and it has not been provided with an attached covering, thereby forming the packing of itself. A packing composed of a core covered with rubber is very objectionable, because it will not withstand the excessive ,heat to which it is neces sarily subjected; In my invention I braid around. the spiral coil several thicknesses of cotton or other yarn or thread, or I cover it with canvas, thereby providing an attached covering oftextile material. In this manner the elasticity of the coil enables it to closely hug the rod,as when pressed in the transverse section of the coil assumes an elliptical form, the axis of the ellipse being parallel with the axis of the rod, and its natural tendency to assume circular form causes it to spread laterally and more closely hug the rod without the necessity at firstof screwing down the gland.

sec. VAN AGENEN;

Witnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, A. O. WEBB. 

